How to sew a Reversible Casserole Dish Hot Pad

This sewing tutorial teaches how to sew extra large hot pads, big enough for casserole dishes! 

I'm sharing a new free pattern and step-by-step instructions for a reversible casserole hot pad. Add a pop of color to your kitchen table with this casserole trivet made from 2 ½” strips, perfect for using a jelly roll.  

This casserole hot pad is a practical solution for protecting tables and counters from the heat of hot dishes.

Our free large hot pad sewing pattern is easy to make and is the perfect alternative to using multiple potholders.  You'll want to make more than one for yourself!

Perfect for gift giving, almost everyone can use one of these!

This casserole hot pad measures approximately 10 ½” x 14 1/2” and will fit any standard 9" x 13" casserole dish.

About Our Reversible Casserole Hot Pad

We will cut 2 1/2" squares from jelly roll strips for our casserole hot pad pattern and alternate them with long strips. 

A collection of fabrics or fabric scraps cut into 2 1/2" strips and squares can be used to sew this casserole hot pad.  Two sides are stitched, with lines of squares alternating with strips.  One side has three strips, and the other side has two strips. 

The sides are quilted separately with two batting layers and one Insul-bright or Pellon Insul-Fleece layer in the center. The Insul-Bright helps reflect the heat away from your table or countertop. 

To make it reversible, the binding is sewn on and then hand-stitched on the opposite side to look the same.

We provide a detailed step-by-step photo tutorial for making this casserole dish hot pad. A free accompanying YouTube video is also available for visual learners. Click the link below!

It's the Perfect Gift!

These hot pads make perfect gifts for birthdays, wedding showers, Christmas, housewarmings, Mother’s Day, hostesses, neighbors, co-workers, teachers, and thank-you gifts.

Personalize the casserole hot pad with fabrics matching the personality of the recipient.  Or match the theme of the kitchen.

Don't forget to include a care gift tag with your purchase!

Free Printable Casserole Dish Hot Pad Tags

If you are gifting, roll the hot pad up, tie it with a ribbon, and include one of our free printable casserole hot pad tags.

To get the free printable gift tags for the casserole hot pad, scroll to the end of this tutorial and past my signature to find the link to download the printable PDF.

The tags come on a printable page with 9 tags. Cut them out quickly and easily with a paper cutter and punch a hole to attach a ribbon.

Let's get started making these casserole hot pads. Click the link below to watch a video tutorial on YouTube. If you'd prefer a printable PDF of this tutorial, visit our Etsy shop.

Large Casserole Dish Hot Pad Pattern

Another hot pad pattern is the Large Casserole Dish Hot Pad.  This one is slightly larger than a standard 9 x 13” casserole dish and finishes at approximately 12” x 16”.The large hot pad in black, yellow, and flower fabric is shown above.

This tutorial for the casserole hot pad uses a jelly roll and will finish closer to the standard 9" x 11" casserole dish.

What is a fabric Jelly Roll?

A jelly roll, pops, rolie polie, or strip set is a precut fabric available at quilt or fabric stores. Like cakes and charm packs, jelly rolls feature all the fabrics from a line of coordinating fabrics. 

Jelly rolls are 2-1/2" wide strips cut across the width of fabric, which are rolled together like jelly rolls.

Moda Fabrics creates jelly rolls, and other manufacturers have similar 2-1/2" strip sets with other names, such as Pops, Bali Pops, Rolie Polie, and Strip Sets.

WHAT YOU NEED to sew the casserole hot pad

• Jelly Roll or other 2-1/2” strip set of cotton fabric
• 100% Cotton Batting – like Pellon Wrap ‘n Zap- Two pieces of batting cut at 14 1/2” x 10 ½”
• Insul-bright or Pellon 975 Insul-Fleece – One piece 14 1/2” x 10 ½”
• Cotton Thread
• Quilter's Slidelock (optional)
• Cutting Mat (Purchase from Amazon or Joann)
• Quilters Ruler (Amazon or Joann)
• Rotary Cutter 
• Sewing Machine with ¼” foot

Finished Size approximately: 10 1/2" x 14 1/2"
Care Instructions:  Wash in cold water and tumble dry on a low setting.

INSTRUCTIONS to make a casserole trivet

Step 1: Cut Squares and Strips

Cut a selection of thirty-five 2-1/2” squares from 2-1/2 "strips. A small square ruler makes this quick and easy.

Next, cut five strips 14 ½” long from the long strips.

Step 2: Arrange the Front and Back

Lay the Squares and the Strips on the table so you can arrange the fabrics to your liking.

Lay 7 squares across, then alternate with a strip. On one side, you will have three strips and two rows of squares; on the other, you will have two strips and three rows of squares. Move the squares around until you get a mix that you like.

Quick Tip: Take a photo of the layout and review it. Sometimes, things pop out on a photo more than on the table. The photo can also be used as a reference if the strips are mixed up while sewing and ironing them.

Step 3: Sew the squares 

Sew together the rows of squares with a straight stitch and cotton thread. I recommend using 100% cotton thread for this project because it won’t melt with heat.  Polyester thread can melt under high heat.

Iron all of the seams in one direction.

Step 4: Sew the squares and strips together

Sew the rows of squares to the strips to make the final two rectangles for the front and the back. Place the strips and rows of squares with right sides together, matching the raw edges. Sew along one long side.

After sewing on each seam, finger-press the seam towards the strips.

Iron the seams towards the long strips once all the strips and squares are sewn together.

Give it a good pressing from the front and back.

Here is the finished front and back.

Step 5: Cut the Batting and Insulation layers

Two layers of batting and one layer of insulation are used inside the hot pad to protect the table or countertop.

Cut two 100% cotton batting pieces at 10 ½” x 14 ½”.

Cut one piece of Insul-bright or Insul-fleece the same size.

Step 6: Layer and pin the fabrics

To make the hot pad reversible, layer and quilt the front side and the back side separately.  Quilting lines will be stitched on each side of the long seams. If all of the layers of fabric are quilted together, the lines will never be perfect on the back side.

Make two sets of layers before quilting the fabrics in the following order.

First Set: Lay the batting and the pieced rectangle top together, with the pieced rectangle facing up.

Second Set: Lay the insulation layer and batting on top of one another.  Then, place the pieced rectangle with the right side facing up.

Pin each set of layers to hold them together for quilting. You will have two separate sets of layers to quilt.  I recommend pinning the layers along the long strips and away from the area to be quilted.  This way, you won't need to remove the pins while quilting the layers.

Step 7: Quilt the layers

Quilt the layers with cotton thread.  The layers can be quilted in any way you desire.  

I quilted straight lines about 1/8" from each side of the long seams.

Quick Tip: To make this easier, use a Blind Hem foot or a foot similar to mine with a metal guide. This guide can be helpful because it makes it easy to stay straight and along the seam. Move the needle to the right or the left to get a perfect 1/8" seam.

Quilt both sets of layers separately. Below is a photo of a closeup of the stitching.

Below are photos of the two sides of the casserole hot pad. 

 The layers will be put together before binding.

Step 8: trim around

Trim any batting or insulation layer hanging past the edge of the top and back pieces.

Step 9: Prepare for Binding

Place the two quilted layers together, with the right sides facing out—pin in a few places to hold the layers together. 

The top and back pieces are ready to be bound together with the binding along the outside edge.

Step 9: Bind the layers together

Two strips will be needed to bind the hot pad.  I like to use two identical strips but you can also make a scrappy binding from pieces of strips.

Use traditional quilt binding for this project to make the hot pad reversible and look the same on both sides.

Personally, I hate hand sewing and usually avoid it as much as possible. But this project called for a binding that would look the same from the front and back.  

If you don't have time to hand sew the binding, you can use a Quick Quilt Binding or edgestitch the binding like in the Large Casserole Hot Pad pattern. 

To prepare the binding, sew together two strips, with a 45-degree seam.

Iron the strips in half to finish preparing the binding.

The two long strips will be more than enough to surround the hot pad.

Start stitching the binding near the middle of one of the short sides. Stitch with a 1/4" seam allowance and miter the corners. For more information, see the tutorial on sewing a traditional binding.

Miter the corners as you sew the binding.

The binding ends are sewn together and trimmed when you reach the beginning.

The corner is nicely mitered when flipped to the front.

Flip the binding around to the front and then hand sew the binding to the hot pad.

Fold the fabric to make mitered corners on the front too.

The casserole hot pad or trivet is ready to be used.

Below are photos of the finished hot pad from the video tutorial.

Front Side

Back Side

Gifting the Casserole Dish Hot Pad

These casserole dish hot pads make great gifts—roll them up, tie them with a ribbon, and pair them with smaller hot pads like our folded star potholder.

Remember to include the free casserole hot pad tag with your hot pad.  It tells the recipient what it is and how to care for it.

A few popular kitchen projects you may like

• Bowl Cozy Pattern
• String Pieced Potholder
• Quilted Pocket Potholder from Old Towel
• 10 Minute Table Runner
• Free Hanging Kitchen Towel Pattern